Comparative studies on the enzymological and contractile properties of glycerinated muscle fibers and actomyosin suspensions.

Kinetic parameters of enzymatic reactions and contractile responses induced by adenosine triphosphate were studied using actomyosin suspensions or glycerinated muscle fibers. The results showed excellent correlations between the enzymatic and contractile events in both muscle models. Based on comparison of the kinetic constants of the two models, it is proposed that superprecipitation and supercontraction are similar expressions of an ATP-induced contractile response in muscle models of various levels of organization.